What a year! It's been busy and we've grown exponentially. This is the first year we attempted some BIG things that were so successful that there is no question that we will do them again this year coming up!

First, there was (in February,) our first "overnight, core group only" investigation at the former "Grant's Inn" on Baptiste Lake near Bancroft where I had the rather original experience of having to tell people to ignore the unexplainable semi-apparition as it hadn't done anything too impressive in over 30 minutes! Three other people and myself (after seeing VERY solid apparitions only briefly,) watched (for almost a half an hour,) a misty shape move very methodically around a large dining table and, (I never thought I'd be able to say this,) I got bored of watching it.

On this same trip, people saw doors open and close and even Tamara, CSPI's director (who is a bit more of a hardcore skeptic than most of us,) got "spied" by a very solid apparition but instead of being one of those "corner-of-the-eye" things, (we refer to this now as COTET (Koe-Tett)) it rather methodically moved away from her line of vision.

Then there was the "debacle by the lake" in June where we TRIED to get those interested to come out to the Islands Lighthouse (Gibraltar Point) and only two small groups attempted the trip from the site. Still, it wasn't all bad but it did make us question the idea of "open" investigations as turnout was so poor. We would be proven wrong (YAY!) later on in the year.

Then came four months of heavy planning and our mid-October Anniversary Party at Old Fort York. Over one-hundred people attended and Jennifer Krutila and I even had the benefit of running into Fort York's door slamming ghost ourselves in the officer's quarters. Speakers such as Patrick Cross (Sci-Fi Prodigy), Glen Shackleton (Haunted Walks of Canada), Kyle Upton (Ghost Tours of Niagara), Shirley Lum (Taste of Toronto), Tamara Zyganiuk (CSPI), Jennifer Krutila (GHRS), Ashley "The White Witch of Niagara", James Waugh (Jessup) and of course, John Robert Colombo enthralled the attendees with stories and words of wisdom. James and his crew at Jessup Food and Heritage did a spectacular job of feeding us and we made MANY new friends and re-acquainted ourselves with some old friends.

Then came our fifteen minutes of fame... Halloween. Now, if given the option, I personally would MUCH rather be reading a good submission or checking out a good "haunt" but for the two weeks before Halloween, we are definitely the media darlings. This year (I know I vowed NOT to do this but it's essential to the story,) we worked with The Globe and Mail, CTV's Chat Room, Global Television News, Space Channel, Media Television, CFRB, CKTB, even the Michael Coren Show and many more I've long since forgotten. It's very easy to lose patience with the media for me for whereas some folks have no problem with reporters going "Boo! It's Ghosty Time! Look! Ghostbusters! Boo!"... I have issues with this. I believe that although the mythology, legends, history and first hand accounts of ghosts are entertaining, mocking it does nobody any service except to minimize our efforts. In fairness, almost all of the folks and media we worked with were nice and treated us well but there's always the one or two... Media for us, is essential to gain new readers to the site and to get more information flowing but, as stated ad nauseam, unlike some ghost sites and groups, it is not our reason for being here.

Then we did the group outing to the Former Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital and THIS TIME, turn out was excellent! Well over a dozen people braved the frigid temperature to tour the exterior of a good historic, haunted site that is in the process of being completely renovated. At least two of our group also had a "ghostly" encounter outside one of the hospitals old buildings.

Since that, we've been mercifully quiet but still thinking of "what's next?"

Well, we are DEFINITELY going to TRY and do more "large group" investigations and our 2001 Anniversary will be an "all-ages, all day" affair and an adult evening. More than that at the present, I can't comment on yet. Meetings and deals still have yet to be struck.

Well, other than this, the year 2000 also lead a few others to put up websites and join us in presenting information on ghosts in Ontario. Now, although there may be some who see this as a "competition", I don't really think it is. This is a HUGE province with TONS of stories and there's plenty of room for all comers BUT I hope (sincerely,) that these folks realize that ghosts don't rest until mid-October. Torontoghosts does not rest through the year because information is constantly coming in and updates are at least weekly if not sometimes daily. (All this and it's still a non-profit part-time hobby!) Let's hope that these new folks do some justice to Ontario's ghosts and history and aren't just around "when it's cool and the media will talk to us." (<- read: Halloween) I know from meeting some of the folks and e-mailing the others that some of the new sites will be up and working year round and that's fantastic!

As usual, thanks to our core group and especially Lynda Quirino, Jennifer Krutila and Tamara Zyganiuk for some superb work this past year.

Well, I've had my rant for another year and (as stated,) what a GREAT year it was! I am looking forward to 2001 and hoping that we will give you information, entertainment and definitely something to think about! Still, we're nothing without you so please, try to be involved... Send us leads and stories.

Have a good 2001!

Matthew Didier